Alexander (newcomer Jeremy Chabriel) is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise on the outskirts of town, Alexander has grown up seeing the world through the eyes of his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape and Gregori’s idyllic world unravels.

Director Ariel Kleiman told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview that the film was inspired by a 2010 New York Times article about the Colombian child assassin trade.

Partisan picked up a cinematography award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The film is Kleiman’s feature directorial debut. Kleiman also scripted the film alongside regular collaborator Sarah Cyngler.